Vehicle body



Dec; 3, 1946.

'T. VI GMOSTAD ET AL VEHICLE BODY Fil ed Sept 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

7' a 1" BY 55355 7) INVENT R WJJ I ATTORNEYa Dec. 3, 1946. T. VIGMOSTAD. ETAL 2,411,945

. I VEHICLE BODY Filed Sept. 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN NTORS rg gye 2 12705 4% Patented Dec. 3, 1946 REiss F I VEHICLE BODY Trygve Viginostad and Soren N. Juul, Detroit,

Mich.,

assignors' to Briggs Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 27, 1941, Serial No. 412,538

' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle bodies and more particularly to motor vehicle bodies of the convertible type. 7

Serious difficulties have been experienced with the bodies of this type and particularly with the devices for locking collapsible or foldable tops thereof to the rigid parts of the body structure.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved motor vehicle body of the convertible type having means for positively locking and unlocking the collapsible top of a vehicle body to the front thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle body of the above specified character having locking means including a plurality of locking devices which are simultaneously actuated in a simplified manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved locking means including a plurality of locking devices which can be' operated from the drivers seat and without leaving the same, and which can be locked and unlocked quickly and easily, and with the aid of a single which, with the exception of control members.

are entirely concealed from view and have no exposed parts which are unsightly and which, being located close to the passengers head, might otherwise be a source of serious injury even in a minor collision. p

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved motor vehicle body of the convertible type, means being provided therein to effect weather seal between the connected parts of the foldable top and the rigid body parts.

-A still further object of the invention is to providean improved vehicle body of the convertible typ in which various mechanisms necessary for proper operation of the'foldable top are concealed in large members having pleasing streamline appearance and light weight, t t

It-is an added object of the present invention to provide an improved structure of the foregoing character which is simple in construction, safe and dependable in operation, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a side View of a motor vehicle having a body of the convertible type embodying the present invention, the foldable top being shown unlocked and about to be folded toward the rear of the vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a view similar in part to Fig. 1, the foldable top being shown locked to the windshield structure of the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan .view of the front portion of the foldable top with the canvas'cover thereof being removedto show the header member in plan view.

Fig. 4. is a vertical sectional view taken through the center'of the foldable top header, the'view being taken in the direction of the arrows, with the sectional plane passing through the line 44 of Fig. 3, the foldable top header being shown ready to be locked to the windshield member.

Fig. 5 is a view similar in part to Fig. 4, the operative parts being shown in position when the foldable top header is locked to the windshield member.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken in the'direction of the arrows on the section plane passing through the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, said View showing one end of the top header on an enlarged scale and locked to the Windshield member.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on the section plane passing through the line '!lof Fig. 6 and showing one of the dowels carried by the windshield member.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view" taken inl the direction of the arrows on the section plane'passi'ng through the line 8- -8 of Fig. 7 and showing one of the anti-rattle springs carried by the locking rods.

Fig. 9 is asectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on the section plane passing throughthe section line 99 of Fig. 3. V Fig. 10- is 'aview similar in part to Fig. 3' and showing the right hand portion of the foldable top header with parts of the header being'broken away to show the relative position of the'locking means, the header being shown unlocked. ll is a view similar in part to Fig. 10 showing the relative positions of the locking means .ing "strip 3'l'.

3 when the foldable top header i locked to the windshield member.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since'theinvention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings there is shown, b wayoi example, a motor vehicle havinga body of .the convertible type embodying the present invention. 1

vided between the Windshield 2| and the transverse'member 23 to seal the same and -prevent rat- .tling.

The body is of the so-called convertible type and has a collapsible or foldable top which may be folded to the rear of the vehicle, opening the passenger compartment thereof fromthe top.

In accordance with the objects of the present invention there are provided improved means whereby 'thefront of the-collapsible or foldable top may be secured or locked quickly to said transverse member 23, thus rigidly connecting said top to the "body structure. A transversely extending foldable top header is of a .hollow construction and is made preferably of sheet metal by stamping operations. The ends of the header 25 are secured with the aid of suitable brackets |8 to the ends of the side members I9 .01 the foldable top frame. The frame itself does not form a part of thepresent invention, and the description .of its construction and operation is omittediforithisreason. To thezloweriiront edge ofthe header 25 thereis securelyiastenedra-ioldable top .26 made 'of any suitable material such as canvas.

In accordanceiwith the invention the -windshield member 123:;is provided with 'two :outer dowels or pins 21 adapted to enter corresponding iopenings 28'providedin the header 25.and a central dowel or pin v29entering 'an opening 30 provided in the center of the "header 25. Im-

proved locking means are :operatively arranged Within the hollow folda'ble top header 25, and they are adapted'to be-controlled or'operated by a single control member or handle 3| manually operable from the operators or drivers seat.

The hollow body of the foldable top header 25 .is-of a flat V type to correspond to the V type or form of the windshield 2|. Said hollow body of the header 25 c0mprises generally a front piece 32 and .a rear or lowerpiece 33 secured together in any suitable manner, such as with the aidof .spot welding. 'In the front piece 32 there are :formed-twochannels-M and 535 The front channel 34 marries a front tacking strip 35.; while the .top :channel v35 carries a top tack- The: .top channel :35. and -'IC011SE- quently the top tacking .strip 31 have "outward extremities which curve downwardly and meet the ends 'of 'the rearwardly curving extremities of the. front channel 34 .and the front .tacking-strip :36, as :is best shown inJr'ligs. .10 and ill.

The top tacking strip 31 is held in the channel 35 by fingers 38 integrally formed on the rear wall 35a of said channel 35 and bent over said top tacking strip 31, as is best shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Similarly, the front tacking strip 36 is held in the channel 34 with the aid of a plurality of upwardly bent'fin'gers 39 provided on the bottom wall-of the channel 34 as is best shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The front edge of the foldable top 26 is connected to the front tacking strip 36 with the aid of tacks 40 of a Weatherstrip 4| covering said connection. To the top tacking strip 3! there is similarly secured a Weatherstrip 42 providing a weather seal between the header 25 and'the foldable top 26 in the locked position of the header.

.Along the upper front edge of the windshield member 23 there is secured a resilient, preferably a rubber strip 43, the ends of which curve rearwardly as can be best understood from an examination of Fig. 6. Along the rear upper edge of the member 23 there is provided a second rubber strip 44-. In the closed position of the top header 25, such as is illustrated in Fig. '5, the bottom surface thereof contacts said rubber stripse43l and 44 and presses against the same to form a double seal between the top header 25 and the windshield member 23. The Windshield member 23 also carries members or moldings 45 and 46 secured to said member in any suitable manner and providing an ornamentation and an additional seal between the rubber strip 24 and windshield member 23.

The locking means carried within the header 25 comprises a central member 50 having a wedge end 53a adapted to enter .a wedge depression 29a provided in the central dowel 29. The central member 50 is reciprocated in a pre determined path extending longitudinally of the vehicle, the reciprocating movements of said member being effected with the aid of a screw 5:! engaging an internally threaded hole proivided'in said member 50. The screw .5.| is, in turn, actuated with the aid of a handle 3| connected to said screw 5| and arranged outside of the header 125 within the reach of the driver. The central member 5!! is provided with wings 53 to which thereare hingedly connected the ends of thetwo bell cranks 54,:which bell cranks are, in turn, hingedly secured to a reinforcing bracket 55 as indicated at 56. I The opposite ends of said bell cranks 54 are-hingedly connected, as indicated at 51, to the inner ends of two locking rods 53 extending outwardly from the central member 50 toward the outer dowels 21. The locking rods 58 are provided with wedge ends 58a adapted to enter corresponding wedge depressions 21a of the outer dowels 2-1. Near the ends of said locking rods 58 there are -provided two supporting guides 59 secured to the header lower member 33 and adapted to guide said locking rods in their predetermined path and to prevent bending of the rods due to the reaction of the outer dowels 27. Itcan be clearly seen from an examination of the drawings-that wear of the wedge members may slightly change the strokev of the wedge members but will not produce any rattles in the mechanisms. In order to prevent rattling of the locking-rods 58 in their locked .or unlocked positions, two anti- .rattle springs '60 are provided. In the present embodiment of the invention said springs are of the strip type and they are riveted to the rods 5.8,.as .is :best shown in Figs. 3 and 8. The locking rods58 "are preferably of ah'ollow construcnon"; asis best shown in Figs. 8 p and 99 To the lowero'r'rear piece-33 of the header 25' there are secured with the aid of sc'rewsfil pieces 62 hav ingcentral flanged openings '63 registering with said holes28 and'adapted to receive the dowels 2T. SaidpicesfiZfmay be finished tofserve ornamentation purposes: It is preferable to nickel plate or chrome plate the same: The dowels 21iand29 are secured to thefwind shield'member 23 inf any suitable manner. One of thepreferred constructionsj of thefdowelmay i clu e 'i reed gaew l "h vi is" n s t ij upper wall'of said windshield member 23. A piece, 64 similar inits function toouter pieces 62' is secured'at' tha'lowersurface of the header ,25 to receive a central dowel 29.

In operation, when it is desired to close the foldable top, the same is brought forward into the position indicated in Fig. 1 either manually or with the aid of power means, and the openings in the header 25 are brought over the dowels,

The above described operation may be best understood froman examination of Figs. 4, 5, and 6. In Fig. 4 the header 25 is shown in position when it is about to be pushed downward by the action of the central member 50. In Fig. 5 the header 25 is shown in its downward position compressing the rubber strips 43 and 44. 1

By virtue of the above described construction, there is thus provided an improved motor vehicle convertible body having a foldable top which'can be brought forward and locked to the windshield of the vehicle in a simplified manner.

The lockingmeans provided in the foldable top are entirelyaconcealed within the header 25 and do not have mechanical parts or mechanism protruding outside of the header, which may be unf sightly and dangerous. The locking operation requires only a few turns of the handle 52, is extremely simple and does not require any skill whatsoever. The unlocking operation is just as simple and it requires several turns of the handle 52 in the reverse direction to raise the header 25 preparatory to shifting the foldable top to the rear of the vehicle.

We claim:

1. In a vehicle body, a windshield having a header, a movable top terminating at its front end in a rigid transverse member, said header having at an intermediate point and at opposite ends three upstanding studs adapted to enter apertures in said member, three locking devices carried by said member including two devices shiftable transversely of the body and an intermediate device shiftable'longitudinally of the body, said studs having recesses into which said devices are adapted to enter and said recesses and devices having surfaces slidingly engageable to exert wedging action and to draw down said transverse member against said header, means for shifting said intermediate device longitudinally, and bell crank levers pivotally connecting said intermediate "device to said transversely shiftable devices.- 7

2. In'a vehicle body, a'windshield having a header, a movable top terminating at its front endina rigid transverse member, said header having at an intermediate point and at opposite ends three upstanding studs adapted to enter apertures in said member, three locking devices carried by said member including two devices shiftable transversely of the body and an intermediate device shiftable longitudinally of the body, said studs having recesses intowhich said 3 devices are adapted to enter and said recesses and devices having surfaces slidingly engageable to exert wedging action and to drawdown said transverse member against said header, a pair of'two-arm levers each pivoted to'the header intermediate its ends, one arm of each lever being pivoted to said longitudinally shiftable device and the other arm being pivoted to one of said transversely shiftable devices and said levers adapted to simultaneously shift said last mentioned devices transversely upon shifting said other device longitudinally.

3. In a vehicle body,a windshield structure, a

foldable top, a header secured to said foldable top and adapted to be connected to said windshield structure, three dowels arranged on said windshield structure and adapted to enter a corresponding plurality of openings in said header, locking means housed within said header and including a central wedge member and two rods all having inclined wedge-shaped ends, said central wedge member being shiitable longitudinally of the body and said rod ends being shiftable mounted on the windshield structure to swing about vertical axes and connecting said wedge member and rods .for transmitting motion to said rods upon shifting the wedge member longitudinally of the body.

4. In a vehicle body, a windshield structure, a foldable top, a header secured to said foldable top and adapted to be connected to said windshield structure, three dowels arranged on said windshield structure and adapted to enter a corresponding plurality of openings in said header, locking means housed within said header and including a central locking member and two rods terminating in looking devices, said central locking member being shiftable longitudinally of the body and said rods being shiftable transversely of the body to cause said locking devices to slidingly engage surfaces on said dowels to draw down and lock said header to the windshield, I

levers pivotally mounted on the windshield structure to swing about vertical axes and connecting said central locking member and rods for transmitting motion to said rods upon shifting the central locking member longitudinally of the of the header, the central locking device being bodily slidable forwardly of the body to engage a fixed member on the windshield structure and the: end: lockingdevices-being bodily slidable- :in opposite directions outwardly of the body-to engage fixed members-on the Windshield structure, a pair of bell-crank levers pivotallymounted on the windshield. structure to swing about vertical axes and-eachpivotaliy. connecting-said central locking device with one of said end lockingdevices to transmit motion to the latter from the central locking device.

6. In a vehicle body, a windshieldstructure, a foldable top, a hollow header secured to said fold-ableto-pandadapted to be connected to said windshield structure, locking means permanently housed within saidheader andadapted-to lock positively'said headento saidwindshield structure, said means including a locking device at the central portionof the header and two locking devices at oppositeends-of theheaderpthecem tral locking device being bodily slid-ableforwardly of the vr body: to engage -afixed member 'on=the windshield-structure and the end locking devices being-bodily slidable in opposite directions outwardly of the body-to engage fixed members on the windshield structure, a pair of bell-crank levers pivotallymounted on the windshield structure to swing about vertical axes and each pivotally connecting said central locking device with one of said and locking devices to transmit motion to the latter from thevcentral locking device, and a rotatable handle connected to said central locking device for-shifting the same in one direction or the other. 7

TRYGVE VIGMOSTA'D." :SORENN. JU'ULQ 

